re: The Harriet Tubman legend is literally a myth invented by 2 Communist writers

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Now do Rosa Parks.

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Every

Heckin

Time

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most information comes directly from Harriet Tubman's recollections.

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Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman, written by Sarah H. Bradford and published in 1869, is a foundational text that helped shape the mythic image of Harriet Tubman as a heroic, almost superhuman figure. While the book is based on Tubman’s own words—she narrated her life story to Bradford—it is not a straightforward biography. Bradford wrote the book in haste, under time pressure before moving to Europe, resulting in a disjointed narrative that reads more like a collection of anecdotes than a chronological account. The book was also compiled and edited by the printer, William J. Moses, after Bradford left, meaning fewer than half the pages were written by her.

The myth surrounding Tubman grew significantly from this text. Bradford portrayed Tubman as a modern-day Moses, endowed with spiritual visions, immense courage, and near-legendary strength. She emphasized Tubman’s use of a revolver to compel fearful escapees to continue north ("dead **** tell no tales"), and her singing of coded songs like “Go Down Moses” and “Bound for the Promised Land” to signal safety—both elements that became central to the myth. However, modern historians question the accuracy of these portrayals. For instance, the claim that Tubman rescued 300 slaves is widely considered an exaggeration; abolitionist Thomas Garrett estimated she freed only 60 to 80 people over 13 trips.

Further myths include Tubman singing “Follow the Drinking Gourd” or “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” as signals—both songs were written decades after her death. The bounty on her head was likely $200–$300, not the often-cited $40,000, which is implausible given the era’s economics. The fictional character Gideon in the 2019 film Harriet is not based on real events, though the real Tubman was pursued after escaping.

In essence, Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman created a powerful, inspirational narrative that elevated Tubman to icon status—but at the cost of historical nuance. The book helped raise funds for Tubman in her later years and cemented her legacy, but it also contributed to a mythologized version of her life that overshadows her real humanity, struggles, and the complex network of people who aided her. As historian Tiya Miles notes, the myth can obscure the reality: Tubman was a real woman, born into slavery, who suffered trauma, lived with chronic illness from a childhood head injury, and relied on a vast, often unsung network of allies to survive and liberate others.

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The amount of half truths and outright lies in ‘black history’ is staggering.

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Now do Rosa Parks.

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Black history figures are sometimes portrayed with exaggerated, myth-like narratives to counteract deep-seated stereotypes of inferiority, building a "therapeutic mythology" that boosts self-esteem and asserts shared humanity.

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Now do Rosa Parks.

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